Mass General Returns to Haiti

Mass General sent a group of healthcare professionals to Haiti in the aftermath of the January, 2010 earthquake. In July, a team of six Mass General clinicians returned to the island to help in the battle against cholera stemming from the earthquake. Although cholera cases had slowed, the number of Haitians affected was on the rise this summer, and the many challenges faced by the country both before and after the earthquake increased the impact of cholera.

Mass General and its Center for Global Health dispatched a group of five nurses and one physician to assist at the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles, Haiti. The team focused on treating affected patients, training health professionals and volunteers and educating the population about prevention.

“Infectious diseases like cholera thrive on poor sanitation, limited resources and a lack of training and education,” shared Larry Ronan, MD, a Mass General physician and director of the Durant Fellowship in Refugee Medicine. “To combat this recent resurgence, our team is working to address each of these issues.”

“The thing that really struck me the most was how our team integrated with the local healthcare professionals,” said Grace Deveney, RN, MPH, team leader. “Providing education ensures that those on the ground are more prepared to meet future challenges, even after we leave.”